Question

Assertion: Hydrolysis of ester is an example of auto catalytic reaction.
Reason: A catalyst speeds up the process without participating in the mechanism.
(A) Both Assertion and Reason is correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
(B) Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
(C) Assertion is correct but Reason is wrong.
(D) Both Assertion and Reason are correct.

Answer 1

Hint: First, we have to understand what is meant by auto catalyst or auto catalytic reaction. We can say that in an auto catalytic reaction, there is no specific catalyst that is added. Here what happens is that one of the products itself acts as the catalyst and it will increase the rate of formation of products.

Complete step by step answer:
Let us start with what is the catalyst. By its definition catalyst is a substance which can be added to a reaction to increase the rate of reaction without getting consumed in the process. What a catalyst does here is it reduces the activation energy or changes the reaction mechanism.
Here, we are asked whether hydrolysis of ester is an example of auto catalytic reaction. So, we now know what is a catalyst and auto catalyst hence we have to find out whether hydrolysis of ester is an example of auto catalytic reaction.
We know,
     $Ester + Water \to Acid + Alcohol$
Here when ester is hydrolysed we get two products acid and alcohol, this acid produced does act as the catalyst to increase the rate of reaction. Hence we can say that the hydrolysis of ester is an example of auto catalytic reaction.
Catalyst speeds up the process by participating in the mechanism. When a catalyst is present in a reaction, they provide a means for the reactant to break bonds and then form temporary bonds with the catalyst. This is how the participation of the catalyst happens in the reaction.

Hence, we can say that the Assertion is correct but Reason is wrong, option (C) is correct.

Note: In biology, catalyst is termed as enzymes. They are proteins which help to speed up particular chemical reactions. That is because catalysts are very selective; they don’t speed up every reaction, only a particular reaction which is key for many chemical transformations.